Circuit making and breaking device



May 9, 1933.

A. G. STEINMAYER CIRCUIT MAKING AND BREAKING DEVICE Filed Aug. 31, 1928,4/m zZiZZ J/ /m/P/L katented May 9, 1933 ALWIN e. s'rnmmm,

saras aranr FEE OF MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN, ASfiEGNGR BY MESNE ASSIGN-MENTS, 1'0 LINE IATEBIAL COMPANY, @IF SGUTH. MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN, A

CORPORATION OF DELAWARE CIRCU 1T MAKING BREAKING DE'VEGE Applicationfled August 33, 1926, Serial Not 8%,287,

This invention relates to improvements in circuit making and breakingdevices of the magnetically actuated type and has as an object toprovide a device of this character in a which the solenoid is energizedto break the circuit and in which means are provided to maintain thecircuit open until the solenoid is again energized and deenergized.

Another object of this invention resides in the provision of a circuitmaking and breaking device of the character described having a contactorcarried by a movable armature and having means for releasablymaintaining the armature in its raised position to break the circuit.

And a further object of this invention is to improve and simplify theconstruction of circuit making and breaking devices of the characterdescribed. 7 With the above and other objects in view which will appearas the description proceeds, my invention resides in the novel com.

* principles thereof, and in which Figure 1 is a transverse sectionalview through a circuit making and breaking device embodying myinvention;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary view illustrating the means for preventingrotation of the armature;

Figure 3 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the armature at the end ofits initial upward movement, with the solenoid energized;

Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 3 illustrating the armature in theposition it is held after the solenoid becomes deenergized;

Figure 5 is a view similar to Figures 3 and l illustrating the armaturein the position it assumes when the solenoid is reenergized from whereit is permitted to move to its original circuit making position, and

Figure 6 is a perspective view of the means for maintaining the armaturein its several raised positions.

Referring now more particularly to the accompanying drawing, in whichlike numerals designate like parts throughout the several views, 5represents the base of a circuit making and breaking device of porcelainor any other suitable material and having a bottom wall 8 provided" withlegs 7. EX- tended upwardly from the bottom 6 is a pair of supportingmembers 8 which are longitudinally bored to receive bolts 9 to mount ashelf member 10 on the base.

The bottom wall of the base has a pair of terminal screws 11 pasingtherethrough, the lower ends of which have the adjacent ends ofconductors 12 connected therewith and the upper ends of which secure apair of contact members 13 in position. The contact members consistpreferably of members ll formed of spring metal which have a portion ofsubstantially inverted l] shape and disposed at an angle,.and the outerfree ends of which normally yieldably urge contacts 15 toward eachother. soldered or otherwise connected with the contacts electricallyconnect the contacts with the terminal screws ll. l

The contacts 15 are adapted to be bridged by a substantially V shapedcontactor 17, the ends of which are secured by screws 18 or the like tothe lower end of an armature 19 which extends upwardly through anaperture 20 in the shelf 10 and is vertically slidable in the bore of aspool 21, the lower flange of which is riveted or otherwise secured tothe shelf, as at 22. A projection 23 extended into the Flexibleconductors l6 a conductor 28.

, the upper edge of the counter-bore to aperture in the shelf 10 isslidable in a longitudinal groove 24 in the armature to maintain thesame against rotation so that the V shaped contactor 17 is at all timesin position to properly engage the contacts 15.

A solenoid 25 wound on the s 001 20 has one end connected with one of te screws 9 which secure the shelf 10 in position to be electricallyconnected therethrough with a conductor 26 and the other end is .suitablconnected, throu h a terminal screw 27, with nergization of the solenoidthus attracts the armature 19 upwardly to move the contactor 17 out ofengagement with the contacts 15 to break the circuit therebetween.

Threaded in the upper end of the armature 19 is a stud 29 the upper endof which is threaded to receive a cap member 30 which freely rotatablysecured a pin 31 to the stud 29, the pin having a flange 32 which isconfined between the inner wall of the cap 30 and the upper end of thestud 29. The outer end of the pin 31 is transversely apertured toreceive a-cross bar 33 whichis secured therein by a set screw 34threaded in the outer end of the pin. The ends of the cross bar 33 areengaged in a trackway 35 formed by a pair of tubular members 36 and 37telescoped, the latter within the former and preferably formed ofinsulating material.

The outer tubular member 36 has a peripheral flange 38 extended from itslower edge by which it is secured to the upper flange to the spool'21 byrivets or other means 39 and has its inner wall provided with acounter-bore, the .up r edge of which is cam sha d as illustrate toprovide the bottom of t e oove 35. The other tubular member 37 has itslower edge correspondingl shaped and is provided with a peripheral ange40 extended from its upper edge which limits downward movement of themember 37 to properly space the lower edge thereof from provide thedesired width for the track 35, the member 37 being assembled with themember 36 after the armature has been lowered into the bore of the spool21 and the cross bar is in position in the bottom of the track and themembers 37 and 36 are maintained assembled in any suitable manner,preferably having a force fit.

As the solenoid 25 is energized, the armature 19 is raised to break thecircuit between the contact 15 and due to the shape of the track 35 thecross bar 33 rides upwardly therein turning the pin 31' as it goes untilit reaches the top 41 of itsinitial upward stretch 41' where furtherupward movement is restrained. This is the position of the parts asillustrated in Figure 3 and as the solenoid is then deenergized, thearmature by its weight drops downwardly, but as the nose 42 below thepoint 41 is spaced rearwardly thereof the ends of the cross bar 33 dropto a osition illustrated in Figure 4 resting in t e recess 43 andmaintaining the contactor 17 out of engagement with the contacts 15.

The parts maintain this position until the solenoid is again energizedat which time the ends of the cross bar 33 follow the track in aclockwise direction to the top point 44 of the downward stretch 45,where the armature is held until the solenoid'is again deenergized, theweight thereof then causin the same to drop, engaging its contactor' 1with the contacts 15 and bringing the cross bar 33 in position to beginanother cycle of movement having turned the pin and the cross barthrough 180 degrees.

From the fore oing description, taken in connection with t e aocompaning drawin it will be readily apparent to those skilled in the arttowhich an invention of this character appertains, that I provide acircuit making and breaking device of the characterdescribed which ispositive in its function and in which but momentary energization of thesolenoid is required to actuate the same to break the circuit,mechanical means holding the device in circuit breaking position untilthe solenoid is again energized.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. In a circuit making and breaking device, contacts, a contactoradapted to brid the contacts, an armature connected with t e contactor,the combined weight of the contactor and armature tendin to maintain thecontactor in its contact bridging position, a solenoid which, whenenergized, attracts the armature to lift the contactor from thecontacts, means for holding the armature in its elevated positiondisengaging the contactor from the contacts after the solenoid isdeenergized, and means whereby energization of the solenoid againengages the contactor with the contacts.

2. In a circuit making and breaking device having an armature and asolenoid which, when energized, moves the armature to a positionbreaking a circuit, a cam member, and means carried by the armature andenga ed with the cam member, said cam mem r having a depressionengageable by said armature carried means upon movement of the armatureto'its position breaking the circuit, whereby the armature is maintainedin its circuit breaking position after the solenoid becomes deenergized.

3. In a circuit making and breaking device having an armature anda-solenoid which, when energized, moves the armature to a positionbreaking a" circuit, a cam member,

.means carried by the armature and engaged with the cam member, said cammember having a depression engageable by said armature carried meansupon movement of the armature to its position breaking the cirgaging thecontactor with accede? cuit whereby the armature is maintained in itscircuit breaking position after the solenoid becomes deenergized, andmeans on said cam member for uiding the armature carried means out 0%the depression upon reenergization of the solenoid whereby the armatureis rmitted to move to circuit making position when the armature is againde-energized,

4. In a circuit making and breaking device having an armature and asolenoid which, when energized, moves the armature to circuit breakingsition, a cam track, and a member carried y the armature and engageablein the track whereby movement ot the armature to circuit breakingposition by the energization of the solenoid is arrested, and whichmaintains the armature in a cir cuit breaking position after thesolenoid becomes deenergized.

5. In a circuit making and breaking device, contacts, acontactor adaptedto bridge the contacts,'an armature for moving the contactor, a solenoidwhich, when energized, moves the armature to disengage the contactorfrom its contacts, a member having a cam track, and a member carried bythe armature and engageable in the cam track whereby movement of thearmature to its position disengaging the contactor from its contactsraises the member to a point from which as the armature is dropped upondeenergization of the solenoid, the member assumes a position to holdthe armature disengaging the contactor from its contacts and wherebyreenergization of the solenoid moves the armature carried means to aposition from which deenergization of the solenoid permits the armatureto move to a position again enthe contacts.

6. In a circuit making and breaking device, contacts, a contactoradapted to bridge the contacts, an armature carrying the contactor, asolenoid which when" energized attracts the armature to disengage thecontactor from the contacts, a member mounted above the solenoid inaxial alignment with the armature and having a substantially spiral camtrack, and means carried by the armature and engaged in said cam trackwhereby energization of the solenoid to disengage the contactor from thecontacts moves said means to an elevated position in the cam track atwhich the armature is held in circuit breaking position independent ofthe solenoid and from which position it is movable to again bridge thecontacts upon a succeeding energization of the solenoid.

Z. A circuit making and breaking device of the character described,comprising spaced contacts, a contactor adapted toelectrically bridgethe contacts, an armature carrying the contactor, the weight of thearmature main taining the contactor in electrical'engagement with thecontacts, a solenoid which when energized attracts the armature to raisethe same and disengage the contactor from the contacts, means preventingrotation of the armature, asubstantially cylindrical member mountedabove the solenoid in axial alignment with the armature and having acam'track, and: a member freely rotatably connected with the armatureand riding in said cam track whereby upward movementof the armaturemoves the member to a position in the cam track at which the armature isheld against dropping independent of the solenoid and from whichposition the armature carried member is movable upon a succeedingenergization of the solenoid to permit the same to move to its circuitmaking position.

8. In a circuit making and breaking device, contacts, a contactoradapted to bridge the contacts, an armature connected with thecontactcr, a solenoid which when energized attracts the armature to movethe contactor with respect to the contacts, a member mounted in axialalignment with the armature and having a substantially spiral cam trackprovided with a depression, and means carried by the armature andengaged in the cam track, whereby movement of the arma ture uponenergization of the solenoid engages said armature carried means withthe depression of the cam track to hold the armature and the contactorin a predetermined elevated position with respect to the contactsindependent of the solenoid and from which position the armature and thecontactor connectedtherewith are movableto a lowered predeterminedposition with respect to the contacts upon a succeeding energization ofthe solenoid.

9. In a switch of the character described, a contact, a solenoid mountedin spaced relation to said contact, an armature freely axially movablewithin said solenoid, means to maintain said armature in fixed radialposition with respect to said solenoid, a contactor at one end of saidarmature engageable in its lower position with said contact to completea circuit, a cam supported from said solenoid, a cam follower mountedonsaid armature for rotation with respect thereto and engageable in saidcam whereby energization of solenoid causes the contactor to disengagefrom the contact and said follower to engage a portion of the cam tohold the follower out of engagement and a second energization oi thesolenoid releases said tollower "from said portion of the cam to permitthe reengagement of the contactor with the contact.

10. A. circuit making and breaking device comprising a contact, acontactor urged to aposition electrically engaging the contact, an

armature connected with the contactor, a solenoid adapted uponenergization to attract the armature and electrically disconnect thecontactor from the contact, rotatable means connected with the armatureto move therewith, and fixed means cooperating with the rotatable meansto maintain the armature 6 in a position electrically disengaging thecontactor and contact when the solenoid is deenergized after thecontactor and contact have been disconnected, but permitting movement ofthe armature with the contactor to 10 electrically engage the contactorupon successive energization and deenergization of the solenoid.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto affixed my signature. 16 ALWIN G;STEINMAYER.

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